Sweet 16
by thewizardanthedragon
Summary: CJ turns 16 and to celebrate the family goes out to dinner.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N – If you have read the entire CJ series you will realize that I have suggested (although not stated exactly) that CJ's birthday was late in the year Nov/Dec. I had wanted her to be one of the youngest in her class and since I am from Canada the calendar year is how the grades are determined. In the US (it does vary) but CJ would have had to have a birthday no later than end of July for her to be part of the class with the others. So I have moved her birthday to midsummer to coincide with this fact. **

Exams finished without any glitches and she was able to score an 82 on the grade 12 exam. The ironic thing was she only scored an 80 on the grade 11 exam. CJ spent a few days a week at NCIS helping out in the lab. Her other days she hung out with varying members of the gang. They spent a lot of time cycling the trails and watching an assortment of movies and TV shows.

As the end of July approached CJ started being more outright with her hints about what she wanted for her birthday. At first she only made passing comments but by the middle of the month she was leaving pictures she had printed off the internet of the bike she really wanted. She was going to be turning 16 something you didn't do every day.

As CJ's birthday drew nearer Ziva was trying to decide an appropriate way to celebrate. Her own 16th birthday had past unnoticed to those around her, she didn't want that to happen to her daughter. CJ wasn't the big party type so that made planning a party rather difficult. In the end Ziva booked reservations for dinner at local restaurant. Reservations were made so that the entire "family" could come. Ziva only told CJ they were going out for supper and didn't mention who would be joining them. Their shared gift would be the biggest surprise.

Ziva spent much of the month of July reminiscing about what the 8 months that lead up to the day that CJ was born. She and Tony had been married for almost 18 months and although there had been discussion about whether or not they would have children they hadn't come to a definite decision. So when Ziva was "late" she first shrugged it off as a result of 'on the job stress'. That was until about a week later she woke up feeling a little queasy and then later that day got light headed when she stood up quickly. These facts coupled with an ever growing 'worry' led Ziva to drive home via the pharmacy. She decided that there was no need to tell Tony about any of this until she had something specific to say. So squirreling herself in her bathroom the next morning Ziva took the home pregnancy test. Staring at the little blue plus sign she wasn't sure she full grasped at that moment what was happening.

Her pregnant, no that couldn't be. How could they even have discussed starting a family? She wasn't fit to be a mother. Her job was dangerous, her experience with children limited to say the least. Standing in the bathroom she wasn't sure how to proceed. What do you do when you find out your pregnant? She didn't know. She didn't have a lot of female friends and none who had shared such details with her. Ziva didn't even know how to tell Tony he was about to be a father. That news was going to come as a surprise to him and she could imagine the issues that he too would be facing. Ziva jumped uncharacteristically when a very loud knock was followed by Tony yelling "Hey you letting me in, I need to shower too you know. We're going to be late for work."

In that few seconds that it took her to cross the bathroom to unlock the door Ziva decided there was no time like the present and as Tony walked into the room rushing to turn on the shower she handed him the little white stick with the blue symbol.

He only glanced at it before throwing it in the trash and hopping into the shower. She stood watching him as she knew it was only a matter of time before the information was processed through his non-work brain. Arms folded across her chest she stood watching through the shower door. The water pouring down his body, face turned into the down spout. Wait for it, she thought, wait for it. His jaw fell open, no words escaped, he turned ever so slowly to face his wife. There it was, she thought, he gets it now. Tony stared eyes doing all the talking. Asking a thousand questions in thier gaze. Her smirk and tiniest of nod was all he needed to understand that she wasn't joking. This was for real. Almost 17 years later Ziva would smile when she thought of his look that day, that moment of realization, that moment of truth, the moment Tony DiNozzo realized he was going to be a father.

CJ's birthday fell on a Thursday and she spent the day with Steven out on the trails. She had been instructed to be home by 1700 so that they could go for dinner together. Getting home just in time CJ was surprised to find that both Tony and Ziva were at home already. Yelling "Hello" as she entered the house two different voices called back "Happy Birthday".

Taking the stairs two at a time CJ waited at her parent's bedroom door after knocking to be invited in. Instead Ziva called out. "Go shower and change, you need to wear something other than jeans and t-shirt." CJ searched through her closet, she had very few articles of clothing that did not fit in the jeans and t-shirt category. In the end she chose a pair of black pants, a white blouse and a jacket that use to be her mother's. She hopped through the shower and was ready to go before her family emerged from their lair. She was about to walk in unannounced when Tony quickly exited and shut the door before she could go in. Somewhat confused CJ raised her eyebrows at her guilty looking father. He didn't respond and just suggested that they wait in the kitchen for Ziva who was not yet ready to go. They needed to be at the restaurant for 6:30 and it was a bit of drive to get downtown. In the end Tony and CJ waited in the car in an effort to get Ziva to hurry up as well as get CJ out of the house so Ziva could put out CJ's gift.

Together the 3 family members drove to the restaurant. It wasn't until the maitre d' rounded the corner that CJ saw the large table with Abby, Tim, Jimmy, his wife Cindy and Gibbs already seated. The huge DiNozzo smile spread across her face. CJ hugged each and every one of them before taking a seat beside her 'uncle'. All she said was "Thanks". Ziva was glad she had chosen to include everyone, there was a part of her that was worried the little "surprise" wouldn't go over well with her daughter.

As Tony and Ziva sat the waiter approached and offered to get drinks for everyone. The order taken he backed away and left them all there in silence. Abby not doing "silence" well spoke up. "Hey you know what .. I just had an idea… because it is CJ's birthday we should all tell a CJ story… that would be so fun… don't you think?"

Nodding heads and smiles could be seen at all of those gathered except CJ. "AH, I don't think that is necessary really Abby, I think that might take us down roads best left untraveled… don't you?" CJ asked the table at large.

Laughing and shaking their heads the group sided with Abby. "Who wants to go first?" Abby questioned the table at large.

Quiet reserved Cindy spoke up first "I will." Stunned the group turned to listen to the story.


	2. Cindy's Story

Cindy who rarely spoke to the group as a whole feeling very much an outsider and being a shy person sat quietly for a minute while she decided on what story to share.

"Well, I don't know CJ as well as the rest of you." She smiled and it elicited a short laugh out of the group. They all knew CJ "too well" really. "But I think the first time I met her is a good story to share. Jimmy and I were out on a Saturday afternoon date. He had taken me to a state fair. We had walked through the displays and spent some time watching the demonstrations. It had been a very relaxing and fun afternoon. We were about to go and buy tickets for the midway and have a go on some of the rides when Jimmy's cell phone rang. The shocked look on his face at first suggested to me that some gruesome thing had happened at work. And then I was confused because we were out in the day because Jimmy had said he wasn't on call that afternoon. I stood watching and listening as Jimmy uh hun'd and nodded to the person on the other end of the phone.

I then saw the look on his face when he turned to look at me. Wondering what he should do. Do what the person on the phone is asking or stay at the fair with me? We had been dating long enough that I knew that work would win every time so I wondered why he hesitated. Then the flash of his decision spread across his face. The midway was going to have to wait."

The story was temporarily interrupted as the waiter returned with the drinks and asked if they were ready to order. Because they had been listening so intently to the story, no one had even glanced at the menu yet. Tony quickly looked at the appetizers and ordered a couple for the table to share. The waiter walked away and everyone turned back to Cindy for the remainder of the story.

"Flicking his phone shut, Jimmy looked at me and stood silently for a few moments before opening his mouth in hopes of saying something, but I cut him off saying 'work needs you?' No, CJ has been injured and Tony wants me to check her over. It won't take long he tried to explain, I'll have a look at her and then we can go out for supper. He smiled his cute uncomfortable smile trying to convince me. Like I said I had been dating him long enough at that point to know work would probably win out every time over something he and I would be doing, if I couldn't accept that then I couldn't be with Jimmy."

Abby through in "It seems that you accepted that pretty easily?"

"I love Jimmy and I know he loves me, I also know how much his coworkers mean to him as well. I am ok sharing him with all of you." She smiled embarrassedly.

"So we got into the car and started to drive to your place" she said pointing to Tony and Ziva. On the way there Jimmy explained who CJ was as I had heard the name but was unclear of how everyone was connected. We arrived to the house and before we even got into the house I could hear a young child's voice yelling 'I'm fine… I don't need Jimmy to look at me… stop it… I am fine' not having met CJ before I thought maybe she'd been hurt so badly that she was beside herself. I was of course wrong."

Again that comment drew a laugh from the table. "So without knocking Jimmy walked in and I hesitantly followed. He felt comfortable enough that he could do that, it was another sign to me that you guys were a 'family'. We found you guys" this time she pointed to Tony, Ziva and Gibbs "standing around the kitchen table with CJ sitting on it. You were about 5 or 6 years old" Cindy explained to CJ "So the first time I laid eyes on you, you were covered in blood. The right side of your face was scratched up as were the insides of both your arms and legs. Jimmy quickly went to work cleaning up all the abrasions, even though you hadn't wanted Jimmy there you hadn't allowed Tony, Ziva or Gibbs to clean you up until he arrived. You had told them that they weren't doctors and didn't know what they were doing. I was surprised that 3 federal agents couldn't get a 6 year old cleaned up, and examined."

The appetizers arrived during the story and the group began eating while they listened.

This time it was Tim that interrupted "You didn't know CJ at all then, would you be surprised now?"

"No, I have heard enough stories that now I wouldn't be as astounded. But back then I was taken back when Tony tried to hold out CJ's hand to help Jimmy wipe her down and she smacked Tony's hand away. I stood there watching the whole scene unfold. CJ insisting she was fine, Jimmy insisting he needed to look at every inch of her because she could have broken something or have a concussion. CJ started yelling that she couldn't have a concussion because she hadn't hit her head. 'Do you think I'm stupid?' you yelled at the room, 'I might be a kid but I'm not stupid' Gibbs gave Jimmy a look and he nodded, at the time I didn't understand the questions that were asked and answered but Gibbs one handedly lifted CJ off the table, swatted her backside and set her back down. Again I shook my head because instead of quieting down CJ went ballistic having done a complete 180 in her defenses. 'Don't you smack me, I just fell out of a 30 foot tree, you don't know what could have been damaged, you know. I could be permanently disabled and then you'd feel bad. 'All of you just stood there listening. No one was shocked, no one seemed to be reacting to the tantrum that was being put on display in front of all of you. I really thought you were all a bit crazy in that moment."

Tony laughed out loud and then asked "And you don't think we're crazy NOW?" It was Cindy's turn to laugh. "No, you're right; you are all a little crazy. But in a good way."

The waiter seeing a break in the conversation quickly approached the table to get everyone's order. With that accomplished he headed off to the kitchen and the story resumed.

"So the first time I met you CJ you were full of spit and vinegar. Jimmy and I ended up spending the evening at your house eating take with everyone listening to Tony and CJ stories alike. I also found out the rest of what had happened that day. Gibbs had taken you to the park that afternoon and after having played on the jungle gym you decided it wasn't thrilling enough and asked to climb a tree. Gibbs being worried that you would get too high or not be able to get back down had denied the request. You being you were not happy as you had asked not thinking that answer was going to be no. Giving the excuse that you needed to use the bathroom you got Gibbs to let you out of his sight and you high tailed it up the tree instead. Gibbs starting to worry that you were taking a long time went in search of you near the concession stand where the ladies room was and didn't find you. I guess this was not the first or last time you went AWOL so he wasn't particularly worried and found you within minutes as you were up the tree you had asked about only moments before. A full out standoff then occurred with him at the bottom and you at the top. It was in evading capture that you slipped and grabbing a hold of tree slid down scraping the inside of your legs, arms and face. You were also bruised up a bit. All night you blamed Gibbs for your injuries. All night he told you that you couldn't have got hurt if you weren't up the tree in the first place. Now if I hadn't witnessed that day I probably wouldn't believe any of the stories that Jimmy has told me over the years. Because whenever I see you, you are polite, well behaved and very pleasant."

Again quiet laughter erupted through the table. CJ feigning indignation said "Cindy, you cannot believe the most horrid of stories that your Jimmy has shared with you. They are using one incident of an injured 6 year old to lead you astray. I am a very polite, well behaved and pleasant person. I'm not sure why Jimmy would insinuate anything different."

The polite quiet laughs that the group had participated in rolled into gales of laughter.

"Oh no you don't" Jimmy countered. "My story is next."


	3. Jimmy's Story

The group sat drinking and eating the appetizers as Jimmy drew a breath to begin his tale CJ jumped in "It is MY birthday I think that maybe we shouldn't continue down this kind of path… really we don't need to dredge up the past…. Let us just lay it to rest… "raising her eyebrows and holding out her hands in a kind of question.

"Oh NO… no.. no .. no… sharing these stories are definitely something we get to do" Abby interjected.

Huffing loudly to make her displeasure known CJ took another slice of bread and ate while Jimmy started.

"So I feel it only right that my story is one that includes one of the many times I have had the …pleasure.. no opportunity… no… well one of the times that I had to patch CJ up. Since CJ's birth her propensity to get herself into situations that require medical attention when completed seems rather high. Now I don't have other children to compare it to so I may be off a bit on my assumption but really I think CJ is better than most kids at getting into physically dangerous situations."

"Ya think Palmer" Gibbs sniped. CJ rolled her eyes at Jimmy and gently smacked the top of Gibb's leg.

"So" Jimmy continued ignoring the comments from around the table. "I was working on a particularly interesting double homicide, a husband and wife pair that was found at Quantico they" but before he could get to far down the line of the 'wrong' story Tony snapped at him 'Palmer'. "Oh.. right.. so I was in the middle of the first autopsy when Tony came running in carrying an 8 year old CJ. Like Cindy's story CJ was trying to convince everyone that was within a 10 mile radius that she was fine and didn't need to be looked at. Pointing at the closest table I had Tony lay her down on the table, she had blood trickling down the side of her cheek from her eye brow, there was already a bruise on her cheek. At a quick glance I could also see that both her legs were scratched and bruised. Tony was actually looked worried. I hadn't seen him worried before. Angry or upset but not worried. I turned back to CJ and started to look her over starting with her head. With the cut and severe bruising I was worried about her having a concussion. Her eyes dilated properly and she was able to answer all the questions properly. Who are you? How old are you? Things like that. I had to laugh when I asked what day of the week it was and she told me it was the summer. At first I got worried but she continued the explanation" CJ stepped into the conversation at this point. "I told you that it was summer, and during the summer I don't pay attention to what day of the week it is. I still don't" she added smiling.

"Yes, I continued to look examine all of her wounds, cleaning the cut above her eye and attaching a butterfly strip to keep it together. I initially thought that I should stitch the cut but the fight I'd had in the past with CJ over freezing and stitches I decided not to go that route and just tape it together. I then cleaned up both legs, a few deep scratches and multiple bruises. I think at that point was when I started to ask about how she had received all of these injuries." Jimmy turned to look at CJ and they shared a knowing smile. CJ didn't have to be told how the rest of the conversation went, she remembered that day very clearly. So the pair of them reenacted the scene each speaking their own lines. "CJ how did all this happen?"

"I went for a bike ride." The 16 year old CJ spoke in a child like voice. The group smiled at the two 'actors' at the table. Jimmy described the tableau so that the atmosphere was painted accurately for their audience. "Tony stopped his pacing which he had been doing behind CJ on the other side of the table from me. He looked at his daughter with scrutinizing eyes. CJ turned just enough that she could see her father in her peripheral vision and quickly turned back to look at me. A burst of panic flashed in her eyes. I clarified 'a bike ride huh?'

CJ continued in the role of her 8 year old self "Yep"

"The problem I have with that CJ is the likelihood of falling off your bike, which you've done lots of times before, doesn't cause this amount of damage." At that point I touched her arm and she screamed out in pain. "Did that hurt?"

"No, I screamed because it felt good." CJ even had the same sarcastic tone she had 8 years earlier.

"I need to x-ray that arm CJ"

"No you don't, I'm fine" she argued, if she had been standing she would have stomped her foot.

"Without continuing the argument I set up the portable x-ray machine and took a few pictures to find out that CJ had a green stick fracture of her left radius" Jimmy pointed out the area of the arm on his own body. "I got out the materials I needed to cast her arm. CJ tried to get down off the table while by back was turned. But she wasn't fast enough, Tony was able to grab her around the middle and plant her back on the table. Tony stood on guard until I returned to finish patching her up."

"Wrapping her arm I tried again. CJ what happened?"

"I told you, I was riding my bike, I fell off."

"CJ I believe you were on your bike, I believe that you fell off, what I don't believe is you weren't trying to do something other than get from point A to point B. What were you doing on your bike? Again CJ looked to Tony and again answered I was on my bike. I then asked Tony to leave the room. He was not very happy were you Tony?"

Tony shook his head no. "No I didn't want to leave, but I did."

"Now CJ, what were you doing?"

"I was doing jumps off my bike. I made the jumps out of wood from our garage. When I went off of one of them it fell apart as I was about to take air."

"How does Tony not know?"

"I dragged all the wood back inside before I told Mrs. Sykes I had fallen." CJ explained this time in her normal voice. "Dad was NOT happy when you told him what I'd done Jimmy. I told you the whole story thinking you would keep our secret under doctor- patient confidentiality, but instead the second I was in one piece you went blabbing to him about what I'd done, how I'd lied and how I'd pulled the whole thing off. I was not in his good books so to speak."

It was Tony's turn to add to the story. "Ya the accident wasn't the only reason you went to bed sore that night."

"Well one would have thought cuts, scrapes, bruises and a broken arm would have been enough of a punishment" CJ sarcastically added.

"Yes well I was not going to be the one that Tony was mad at, I'm not stupid and he needed to know what you were doing so that he could talk to you about not doing it again. You have a tendency to not learn quickly from your mistakes." Jimmy excused himself.

"Out of all the times I have had to put you back together I think that was the worst." As Jimmy concluded the waiter started to deliver their meals. Each plate was placed in front of the one who ordered it. The group remained quiet until each person had their dinner. Then Abby spoke up and whispered "I get to go next."


	4. Abby's Story

While everyone ate there food Abby began her story taking the occasional break to have a bite or two of her supper as well. "So my story goes back a little farther, CJ would have been 3 at the time. When she was little do you remember when you would bring her to NCIS to visit everyone?" Both Tony and Ziva nodded. They remembered many of those days and were surprised either of them still had a job after some of the stunts CJ had pulled.

"On this particular day CJ was with Tony and he had taken her around to see everyone. She had visited the lab earlier in the day and had been fascinated with all the test tubes, containers and machines. Tony had to carry her out because she hadn't wanted to leave. She wasn't throwing a fit or anything just needed to be physically removed. I didn't witness it but supposedly Tony continued to do rounds and CJ happily talked to everyone and explored the building."

"I loved exploring NCIS headquarters when I was little. It seemed mysterious and cool" CJ added.

"Of course it's cool, it's where we all work!" Tony added and everyone just shook their heads.

"We all went for lunch that day together, something we don't do very much anymore with everyone in different groups, we really should do that more often you know" Abby had gotten sidetracked and took a few silent moments to try and figure out a schedule in which they could all go to lunch together and realized that with Tim in a different group they often had opposing schedules and that it was very hard indeed.

"Abby, Abs" Tim nudged her to bring her back to the present. "Oh right" she answered.

"We all ate lunch laughing at CJ and her antics and spent a long time talking and visiting. It was when CJ started to rub her eyes and yawn that we all headed back to the office. Tony had brought a sleeping bag and laid CJ down for a nap behind his desk. She fought him for a short time but soon fell fast asleep curled up on the floor. Tony then got a phone call to go up and see the director. He checked on his sleeping daughter and thought she would be out for the count for some time still and left her there alone."

"I know now that was a bad idea" Tony said defensively "I really didn't think she would wake up until after I got back, the problem was that the director had someone else in his office I had to deal with and that was what took a long time."

"Anyway, by the time Tony returned to his desk all that was there was an empty sleeping bag. CJ had flown the coop. Tony quickly assembled his team, including a very angry Ziva to go on a floor to floor search of their missing child. Now I don't know what route CJ took exactly as we didn't do a full scale analysis but she did do some exploring as there were things found out of place in autopsy, the interrogation observation rooms and several people said they thought they'd seen her in several of the bathrooms. I had left my lab to go down to autopsy to talk with Palmer and so was only gone for a short time. But when I returned my lab was in complete chaos. CJ was standing on the table between the two fridges and was dropping the glass test tubes one by one onto the floor and squealing with delight each time it shattered on the floor. Every last one of my "babies" had been tampered with and all of their lights and beepers were wailing and flashing. The only thing she hadn't messed up was the computers as they are password protected."

"We had computers at home and on my Dad's desk… I'm sure I wouldn't have touched those, they weren't very interesting to me" CJ added again.

"So I take a couple of minutes to try and coax CJ down off the table but she continues to drop the test tubes. I was trying to stay calm even though I was both worried she would get hurt and furious that she had messed with everything in my lab. I then called Tony to let him know I had found that which he had lost and that he needed to get down to the lab asap before she got hurt; either from falling or from me. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I had called her father or the fact that she had run out of test tubes that CJ climbed even higher onto the fridge. She sat up there leaning against the wall giggling while the machines beeped and buzzed and all the lights flashed. Waiting for Tony I decided to try and shut down all my babies as I would have to recalibrate them all and restart anything that they were in the middle of. I was fuming both at Tony and CJ. Tony slid into the lab and had to ask where his daughter was."

"When I got in I couldn't see her anywhere, just glass all over the floor, beeping and lights but no CJ. It was Abby pointing upwards that had me look in the right direction" Tony helped with the story.

"Tony then tried to coax her down off the fridge but she'd pushed herself all the way to the back and it's a deep fridge. He then tried to threaten her down. That didn't work either. By that point I had gotten everything under control and at least we could talk without having to yell over the machines. I started to sweep up the glass while Tony went in search of a step stool. CJ for her part sat up there like a Cheshire cat with a huge grin and the occasional giggle. By the time Tony had returned with a ladder I had a good portion of the glass cleared away so it was easier to maneuver in the lab without the crunching of broken glass under foot."

"It's a great view from the top of the fridge, in case anyone is interested" CJ offered. The group laughed except Abby who through retelling the story was back to being unimpressed with CJ's stunt.

"Even with the ladder it took Tony several minutes to extricate his daughter from her hiding spot. He didn't want her falling down behind the fridge or off the side and she was doing everything in her power to avoid his grasp. When she was finally captured, she was kicking and squirming in an effort to get away. I think it was in those last couple of minutes that she realized it wasn't a game and that she was IN deep trouble. She continued to kick and started to yell in an effort to get away. Tony easily carried her off to the ballistics lab, closed the door and pull down the blinds. They were only in there for a minute before a much more subdued CJ returned holding Tony's hand in a grip that suggested he was not letting her go let alone taking his eyes off of her."

The waiter stopped by to refill drinks and make sure the food was as expected and if anyone needed anything else. Everyone got more drinks and a few asked for this or that and then the waiter scurried off to get what they needed.

"CJ then apologized for breaking my things and touching things she knew she wasn't supposed to. Although I was absolutely furious with her, the cute little face with the big brown teary eyes looking up at me I couldn't resist and I had to hug her. Tony took her back upstairs to the squad room and from the stories I heard he made sure he was always in the way of her being able to escape."

"Although there are many CJ disappearing stories… I think I get the award for most spectacular" Tim volunteered. The few that remembered the story nodded in agreement as he finished chewing before starting his narrative.


	5. Tim's Story

"Ok… let me see here… CJ you would have been about 4 or so, maybe a bit older, but this happened well before the tree incident that Cindy described so probably 4 is an accurate assessment of age."

"Ok Timmy…get on with it she'll be 24 by the time you're finished at this rate!" Abby interjected playfully.

"Right. So she was about 4 and I was looking after her one evening while DiNozzo and Ziva were working. Something had happened to Mrs. Sykes and she wasn't available. If I think about it she was probably on stress leave!" everyone chuckled at his estimation of what had been wrong with Mrs. Sykes. "Anyway, there I was sitting in the living room playing video games on the TV console with CJ thinking, very naively, that this caring for CJ thing was a so easy and that all the stories must have just been exaggerated. Then CJ suggested that we play hide and go seek." Because most of the people at the table had fallen for that same line they all laughed heartily. Cindy on the other hand hadn't heard of any of CJ's hide and go seek stories and so asked "What's so funny about a 4 year old playing hide and go seek, isn't that a normal game they would want to paly?"

"Ya, it is a normal 4 year old sort of thing to do, CJ just didn't do it the "normal" way" Tony scuffed.

Tim continued "No one had had cause to tell me to avoid such a game with CJ and so I agreed thinking I was being a great care giver by keeping CJ active and amused. That was until after counting to 20 I turned around and began looking for CJ. You would think that a 4 year old wouldn't have the patience to stay quiet and still for very long but not CJ. I looked high and low for her everywhere. I hadn't heard her walking when I had my eyes closed and so had no clue where to begin my search. It took me 25 minutes to find her that first time. 25 minutes. She had squeezed her way between a filing cabinet and the wall in a closet upstairs. First of all I have no idea how she got in there without making any noise and second of all how she stayed still and quiet for so long."

"That doesn't sound all that eventful to me" Cindy suggested flippantly.

"Uh huh that's because that isn't the end of the story. I was stupid enough to agree to let her hide again. It was the 'oh please Timmy, oh please' with the bouncing wavy locks and big eyes as she jumped up and down with her hands folded in prayer that made me cave." It was CJ's turn to laugh at him this time.

"So I turn my back and close my eyes and she scampers off silently to hide for the second time. After 20 seconds I begin looking for her. I sneak into each room and because of where I found her the first time I knew I needed to be thorough and specific in my search. Room by room I go through, and room by room I exit not having found her. At about 30 minutes I call outside in the back yard hoping that she hasn't actually left the house because then she could be ANYWHERE. At 35 minutes I start to wonder if I should call Tony and ask if he knows where she might be hiding. At 40 minutes I am yelling her name and threatening the fires of hell if she doesn't show herself. At 42 minutes I hear a faint little voice. We play a perverted came of Marco Polo but instead of trying to swim away CJ's voice remains in the same location. It takes me several minutes to find her."

But before Tim was able to describe her location Cindy who is now holding her breath from worry blurts out "Where was she?"

"In Tony and Ziva's bathroom there is a large soaker tub and to get to the motor and such there is a small door. CJ had climbed in and wiggled her way under the tub and to the far side where there was more space between the wall and the body of the tub."

"Oh my gosh" Cindy exclaimed, even though she knew the story had to end well her face was flush and her palms were sweaty just thinking about it.

"Ya, she was stuck. I tried for several minutes to figure out a way of getting her out. I couldn't even get to her and I had no way of getting in myself."

"What did you do?" a still stressed Cindy asked.

"I called the fire department. They sent over 2 trucks, a police cruiser and an ambulance. The street was filled with emergency vehicles and flashing lights. I told CJ to stay still and that I would be right back while I answered the door. Leading 8 firefighters into DiNozzo's bathroom I sat on the side of the tub talking to CJ in hopes of keeping her from panicking. To that point she wasn't at all worried that she couldn't get out, it was all part of the game. The firefighters trying different things to extricate her and in the end they told me we would have to remove the tub to get her out. We instructed CJ to keep her head down and slowly they chipped away all the tiles, then they ripped undid the tub from the frame holding it in place, the motor and the drain before the 8 guys lifted the whole unit up while I crawled over and picked CJ up."

"That is the moment I walked into my bathroom" Tony laughed eyebrows raised and nodding to an unbelieving Cindy. "I arrive home to find it surrounded by EMS, firefighters and police. Now I already knew CJ could get into trouble but things had never gotten that far out of hand…"

"Yet" Gibbs whispered. Everyone including CJ howled at his quiet interjection.

"CJ was taken out into the bedroom where the EMT's looked her over. Not a scratch on her. She hadn't been injured at all. Her only complaint was that she was hungry. By the time they had extricated her it was well past supper time. As the emergency personnel packed up their gear and departed I was left to explain to Tony how I had lost his daughter and why his bathroom needed to be renovated. The smack to the back of head had my ears ringing for a long while afterwards." Tim concluded.

"And it was long time before you spent any time alone with me again" CJ snickered.

"Would you be alone with her again after that traumatic experience? Would you?" Tim directed his question to Cindy knowing she would probably be the most understanding to his plight.

"I completely understand Tim, I wouldn't have felt my heart could cope with another attack" she answered hoping to make him feel better but not wanting to get in the middle of any 'family' discussions.

Once again their stories were temporarily interrupted by the arrival of the waiter. He cleared any dishes of those who had finished eating and again refilled any glasses that needed it. Slipping away the conversation was quickly reignited by Abby asking "Ok.. which of you is going next?" directing her question to Gibbs and CJ's parents.

"I will…" Tony offered looking at both Gibbs and his wife. His story would be the first time CJ ever pulled off a successful practical joke.


	6. Tony's Story

"Oooo … a milestone in her development... well at least in CJ's case" Abby clapped her hands together and rubbed in excitement.

"I didn't see it that way" Tony explained "to me it was cause for worry. If she could pull something off that young. What was going to happen when she was older?"

"She's shown you that too hasn't she DiNozzo" Gibbs added.

"Ya, Boss, she has" reaching over to CJ, Tony squeezed her hand and smiled. They were sharing stories of times that CJ maybe didn't make all the right decisions and he wanted to make sure she was still ok with it all. The smile he received sent him into his explanation.

"CJ was about 22 months old. Please note that she was not even 2 years old when she successfully pulled of her first practical joke." With fancy hand flourishes he continued.

"She was sitting in our large soaker tub, the one she later got caught under. And I was tidying up around the room, picking up towels, sorting out things from the counter that sort of thing. And although I was making sure she was safe, I wasn't paying attention to her every action. Soon a sat down beside her on the step and watched her play. She had a small bottle of bubbles that she was dipping in the circular wand and bringing it out. Each time she tried to blow the bubbles nothing happened. Her little cheeks would puff up and she would blow, but still no bubbles. With innocent eyes she turned to me holding out the bottle and wand and said 'Daddy my bubbles are broken. Can you make my bubbles work?'"

"She had you then and there didn't she?" Tim offered.

"Ya, she did"

"Anyway I take the bottle and wand. I slowly dip the end into the bubbles and try to blow. Nothing. I try again. And again, NOTHING. The thing is that CJ just sat there looking at me as if she was just waiting for it to work. No indication on her face that anything was out of the ordinary. So I try for a third time to get the bubbles to work. And for the third time nothing happened. I even looked into the bottle to make sure there was liquid in it. I think my biggest mistake was I just kept trying, thinking that eventually it would work. By about the fifth rendition of dip and blow with no success a smile broke across CJ's face. By the sixth she was outwardly laughing. This is when it occurred to me to ask what was really going on. Her answer…. Her answer was 'Daddy I tricked you, I dumped out all the bubbles and filled it with just water' she had done it on purpose to see if she could trick me."

"I saw the whole thing from the bathroom door. I myself could not stop laughing at him. He had been tricked by a toddler. It did a lot of damage to his macho ego that is for sure." Ziva interrupted.

"Oh don't you sit there all high and mighty. You were just as scared as me at the prospect of having a 22 month old who could think up, prepare and execute a practical joke!" Tony turned quickly on his wife.

"Yes, you are right Tony I too was worried. But after I had a good laugh at your expensiveness."

"At my EXPENSE, the term is at my expense" Tony corrected without hesitation.

Having cleared all the plates the waiter returned to ask if anyone wanted something for desert. Everyone took a few moments to peruse the menu and each gave their own order. Tony explaining that they were there to celebrate their daughter's 16th birthday. "Happy Birthday Miss" the waiter said nodding in her direction. Smiling CJ said thank you and then turned back to the onslaught that was happening at HER expense. She didn't mind really. The stories were not at all that flattering but really it was an opportunity to reconnect with her family. A chance for them all to remember the last 16 years in a positive way because even though many of the stories ended with someone angry with her, they weren't anymore. Her sins had been forgiven and she was still theirs. Waiting for desert to arrive Ziva offered to go next in the story sharing if Gibbs didn't mind. Turning his hand in a gesture that she should go first Gibbs allowed her to continue.


	7. Ziva's Story

"Let me see" Ziva sat looking up at her daughter "What story should I tell?"

"If you don't have one, don't worry, we'll just move along to the next person" CJ said pointing towards Gibbs.

"No… no I do have a story. I have lots of stories. It is just that I cannot pick just one. It is a hard to do. I know! I will tell the story of the first time the school called to tell me that CJ had been in trouble in class."

"Thanks mom, thanks a lot. You could tell a story about a time I was good you know."

"Ah, my little one do not worry" Ziva responded in Hebrew to reassure her daughter.

"I was at my desk working and I got a call from CJ's teacher which had never happened before so my first thought was that she had been injured or was sick. I would soon come to learn that injuries and illness were by far less likely reasons for phone calls from CJ's school." CJ rolled her eyes in answer to her mother's pointed remarks.

"The teacher explained the CJ had tied a classmates shoe laces to the chair in which the teacher was sitting. So that when the other child tried to leave the teacher's desk she fell forward hitting her head on the table. Both CJ and the friend spent much of the next few minutes laughing over the incident but the teacher was very concerned that it could have ended much worse and the friend could have been more seriously injured. They were not going to send her home or anything as CJ had been such a good student and this was probably a onetime misjudgment. They called just because they thought I should know.

I apologized profusely for CJ's behavior and said that I would speak to her at home about a time and place for practical jokes. CJ had pulled several stunts at home but never tried anything elsewhere."

"How old was she?" Jimmy asked having never heard this story before.

"She would have been about 6 Jimmy. She was in first grade. So yes about 6. When I got home that night and I sent Mrs. Sykes on her way I asked CJ to come to the living room so that we could have a little chat. I asked what had happened that day and she could not recall something happening. At first I thought she was trying to hide the fact she had misbehaved but in the end it was that she truly had not thought any more of the prank once it was over. So we sat and had a long talk about the importance of behaving at school, the importance of making good choices, the importance of time and place when pulling practical jokes. I really did think I had made a good effort in helping CJ understand what was and was not appropriate."

"You were obviously mistaken" Tim threw in. "Yes I was because as we know that was just the first prank in a looonngggg list of pranks that she has been part of. And I am sure there are some we do not know about" Ziva gave a knowing smile to her daughter who simply returned her most innocent grin.

"But as I was finishing up the conversation CJ offered that she did not think her teacher was a very good one. I was confused as I had met her teacher and she seemed nice to me and quite good at her job. So I asked CJ why she thought such a thing. Her answer was that she had not yet been taught how to do research. Research? I asked. Yes CJ answered research, she taught us how to look in books to find things out and she called that research. I tried to explain to CJ that looking up information in books is in fact a form of research. CJ would not be convinced that it was true research. She told me NO MAMA I want to learn how to do real research the kind where you find things people don't already know. Research for things that are new to everyone."

"What could a 6 year old want with that sort of knowledge?" Abby asked.

"That is what I was thinking as well" Ziva answered "so I asked and do you know what I got as a response?" Most of the heads shook in the negative, even CJ's as she didn't remember this conversation.

"She told me that she wanted to make clones of herself. Not like the sheep where it was a baby sheep first but a direct clone so that she could make like 5 more of her 6 year old self. Why would you want that I asked her. She wanted them to do the things she did not like doing. She wanted to have them so that they could go to school, do chores around the house things like that."

"Hey that is like the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes" Tim laughed.

"Funny you should say that McCartoon" Tony chuckled "that is exactly what I told Ziva when she relayed the story to me. I had to look it up for her so that she could see it."

Desert arrived and in the middle of CJ's large piece of chocolate cake was a single candle. Everyone waited patiently for her to make a wish and blow it out. She took a few seconds as she looked around the table and then blew. Coffees were ordered and Abby told Gibbs it was finally his turn to tell a story.


	8. Gibbs' Story

All eyes turned to the Gibbs the self made patriarch of the mismatched family. He returned their gaze looking to each one of them before finally resting his eyes on CJ. His blue eyes twinkled in the dim restaurant light and he allowed the corner of his mouth to turn upwards as he gently patted CJ's hand.

"Sixteen years ago today" he began slowly looking back out to no one in particular "I held a new born child for the first time in my life." Confused looks spread across the table. "I didn't get to hold Kelly until she was a week old, she'd been in an incubator." He explained as he was sure he would have been interrupted by someone. "So 16 years ago I held a brand new baby. A tiny little girl who had come into the world earlier than expected and I looked into her face. She was alert and stared back at me. In that moment I realized that I could love a child with all my heart again. I thought I would never love another child as I had loved my own, but in those seconds I understood I was wrong."

The silent table watched as Gibbs smiled a full broad smile at CJ and she returned it.

"I remember times where my role was one of disciplinarian. Times when CJ was in fights, when she'd disappeared. Times when the school called to report missed classes and forged notes. I remember times that she climbed trees" he paused and nodded to Cindy to acknowledge the story she had told. "I remember times she created havoc at home or school." Again he paused many heads around the table were slowly nodding remembering the same scenarios.

"But the times I remember the most. The times I cherish are the times I got to be a witness to firsts. The first time I heard her talk, the first time I saw her walk. The afternoon we spent together when she was learning to ride her two wheeler for the first time. The entire Saturday we spent at the batting cage until she could hit a fast ball. The first time we went camping and how it rained so hard our tent almost floated away. And amazed there was a second camping trip at all. The first time we built something together, the first time we fixed something together. The first time I sat in the audience and listened to her win the speech writing contest. The first time I watched her fall in love. These are things I remember every day. These are things I am thankful that I got to witness… to be part of."

Gently cupping CJ's chin in his outstretched hand he said "Happy 16th Birthday my angel" and leaning forward planted a loving kiss to her forehead.


	9. The Present

The group sat around the table silently most looked down at their coffee cups or plates feeling like intruders in a personal moment. The spell finally broken when the waiter brought the check and handed it to Tony. Everyone began talking at once, what was the plan now? Who was going to come back to the house? With the decisions made the group stood and made their way out to vehicles each of them climbing into one of the cars that had brought them all to the restaurant in the first place.

The drive home wasn't that long as it wasn't rush hour anymore, but CJ spent the time replaying the stories her 'family' had told. Smiling and laughing internally as she pictured the actual events. She also spent a few moments remembering her own stories about these people. Times she had spent with them, the times that she would always remember about them. There would be people who would suggest that CJ did not have the 'best' of upbringings as she was left with a sitter a lot or alone as she got older. But to CJ she wouldn't trade her family for the world. She was proud of what they did and she was glad that they cared for her as much as they did and loved her as much as their own flesh and blood.

Tony was the second vehicle to arrive home and he left CJ in the car as he made his way inside. "You can't come in until everyone is here."

"Pardon me?" she asked incredulous.

"I promised everyone that they would all be here for you to open your presents. So you need to wait outside until everyone gets here."

As this discussion was taking place the others arrived and they all congregated on the front porch which in reality wasn't large enough for all of them. Tony shoo'd them all inside while he gently pulled CJ back away from the door so that everyone could enter without hindrance. While waiting Tony undid his tie and used it to blindfold CJ. He led her to the door and scooted into the hallway away from his daughter.

CJ clumsily stepped into the house and tried to proceed through the entrance by memory. She only took half a step before an arm blocked her way. She stopped and turned to face her restrainer. And while she heard Cindy's voice count out 1, 2 she felt very light taps to her bottom. CJ laughed as she quickly came to understand what was happening. The arm was lowered and CJ walked forward one step before another arm was raised and blocked her way. This time it was Jimmy's voice that counted out 3, 4 as again she felt a light tap with each number spoken. This time when the arm was lifted she only walked one step and never felt an arm lowered to block her way. Abby's voice counted out 5,6 with their corresponding birthday spanks. Stepping forward one pace CJ stopped in beside the next adult in line. Tim's swats were so light that she could barely tell they had made contact and knew more because he counted out 7, 8. CJ figured that Tim's one and only attempt at a physical reprimand had sort of back fired he was not confident in even this little charade. CJ continued to smile as she stepped forward willingly again and stopped again without physical restraint. Gibbs' voice was heard loud and clear count out 9 as a solid swat landed. "Ow" CJ scowled in his direction "that was not gentle." "Who said it had to be gentle" he said with a smile in his voice. 10, 11 were counted in the same confident tone and the matching swats were just as firm as the first. CJ playfully pouted, stomped her foot and glared at him through her blindfold. Gibbs gently pushed her ahead so that she was now beside her mother. Counting 12, 13, 14 with gentle smacks landing as each number was spoken. CJ now stepped forward to beside her father; the last person in this line of silliness. Like Gibbs Tony did not swat gently but they were not severe enough to actually be considered punishment quality. He counted 15, 16 and then with the last one landing to him exclaim "and one to grow on".

"Now that you have all had a lot of fun at my expense can you PLEASE take this blindfold off!" CJ barked in feigned indignation.

"Sure" Tony answered as they all stood in front of CJ. Tony reached out and took off the blindfold. CJ stood in her front entrance staring at her family. They were all standing around a bright yellow bicycle with a big red bow wrapped around its handle bars. Not knowing exactly what to say or how to say it CJ just smiled at her family and gave each member a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek. The adults all sat back and drank some coffee and CJ took her bike out for a quick spin before it got dark.


End file.
